He said: “Dele is not perfect. Nobody is perfect. He is a clever boy. He is a little bit nasty. Football is a creative sport in which you need the talent that grows in a very intelligent person, a very smart brain.”

Alli has already faced a backlash from the fans on social media and Pochettino’s comments are likely to provoke more reaction from the fans. Also, it might encourage the player to dive more in future.

The former MK Dons midfielder is a world-class talent and he is more than capable of making a difference on the pitch without having to cheat.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the future but Pochettino’s comments are unlikely to go down well with the rival fans for now. Also, the introduction of VAR could spell trouble for players looking to trick the match officials in future.